Aaron Garze: The 47th Annual Hunger Games
by Ryan22000
Summary: Aaron. A fourteen-year-old boy from district 10 who provides for his family. The oldest of five enters into a horrible arena with his twelve-year-old sister, Cassie, after volenteering for his worst enemy. Can Aaron help his sister win? Maybe Cassie has different things in mind than helping her brother. . .
1. A normal day

1: A normal day

The sun is already shining through my window. I push of my wool covers of my bed and grab Mittens, our black cat, from my bedside. I pet her soothingly so she starts to purr. The noises outside are full of our farm animals in the field. I yawn and get out of bed. I put on a yellow tee, old, baggy shorts, and my boots. I tie the boots up tight and leave my room.

"Cassie; up!" my dad yells to my sister, Cassie. She is twelve-years-old and fairly smart. I almost forgot! Today is the reaping! My sister's first ever reaping too. I quickly run into the hallway, down our steps, and onto the main floor of our house. I run through main floor, but then I stop at the picture of my mom. She died two years ago watching my brother be murdered in what we call The Hunger Games. They are broadcasted all around the districts in Panem. One boy and one girl from each district are put into an arena. The sick part is . . . they fight to the death. Friends vs. friends and enemies vs. enemies. Twenty-three die and one will live on. I have been lucky enough to not be reaping in the two years I have been eligible. I am fourteen now and eighteen is the age that you can no longer be put into the bloodshed.

"I'm up 'ere; getting ready," Cassie calls from upstairs. I quickly sprint into our kitchen to find Ray, Rose, and Spike. Ray and Rose, the twins, are playing with Jack, our border collie. They are the youngest in our family, being seven-years-old. Next, there is Spike, the smart one, always focused on schoolwork rather than house chores. Dad always lets him out of chores. Spike is the middle child with Cassie. Spike is eleven and not twelve though. Next year he will be eligible for the reaping.

I walk over to our fridge and look at the job chart. I guess I can get a few chores in before we leave for the reaping. Maybe I will milk our cow, Lassie. I open the fridge, grab an orange, and peel it quickly. Yum, the tartness is so sweet.

"A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A," screams Ray from the kitchen table. "Can I plea-ease come? I want to hunt some foo' with you," he asks in a low holler.

"Ray my name is not A. It is Aaron and I don't think I'm going hunting today," I say calmly back to him.

"Oh c'mon A-aron," Ray hollers back to me while laughing as he made fun of my name. I give him a stern look and he stops laughing in an instant.

"Only if you stop with the names," I retort back to him. He nods and we set off to the fields.

We walk for about a minute before reaching our barn. The fields that surround our barn are full of farm animals. Sheep, dogs, horses, cows, and even some deer cover the fields. Ray's eyes are mesmerized at all the animals. We finally go inside the barn after looking at the farm animals. I start to milk Lassie as Ray plays around the barn. Once I get one bucket full of milk I head out of the stable.

"Ray!" I scream in terror as I look for him.

"What?" he yells from above the barn. He was just in the chicken coop, messing around.

"Ready to hunt?" I ask him.

"I've never been more ready," he yells as he slides down the ladder wooden ladder to the chicken coop. I quickly run over to my stable and pull open a drawer. I grab five different sized knives and slip them into my belt. Then, I grab a small bow that I used to use when I was younger for Ray. He smiles as I hand him the small bow and a sheath of arrows. We walk out the back door of the barn and set out for a small white fence. I help Ray climb over it and then haul my small body over it as well. I whistle a little tune and my black mustang comes running over to Ray and I.

"This is Bay. She has been my horse ever since I was your age. When you are old enough you will be able to pick a horse for your own," I tell Ray as he watches Bay. He nods and smiles. Ray and I walk deeper and deeper into the fields getting closer and closer to the forest.

"Look," Ray mouths to me. Ray points to a flock of turkeys. I gesture him over to me.

"When I nod; open fire at them," I tell him. "If they charge…," my voice trails off.

"If they charge?" Ray questions to me in terror.

"Run," I say as calmly as I can. I creep silently over to the flock and take out a long dagger. My eyes scan the tall, dried, grass. I pick up a medium sized stone, throw it above me and smack it with my dagger. I nod at Ray to open fire. He pulls back an arrow and shoots, but misses. He slowly charges the next arrow and aims. Ray lets go of the string and the arrows flies through the air and hits a flying turkey in the neck. I whistle and Bay comes running toward me. Ray runs over to me in happiness.

"I got one! I got one!" Ray keeps cheering. I grab the turkey's rough feet and put it on Bay. I then lift Ray up onto to Bay and climb onto her myself.

"Yaw," I yell as I kick her thighs. Bay starts to run Ray and I back home.


	2. The reaping

2: The Reaping

Ray and I finally reach home and Cassie is waiting for me.

"Dad will bring Spike, Ray, and Rose. He will be there right when the reaping starts," Cassie tells me. Cassie is wearing a bright yellow dress and her gray flats. Her light brown hair is fishtailed down one side of her head. She looks beautiful. I nod at her and set of to my room to get ready.

I grab my nicest shorts, orange-brown plaid, and a brown collared shirt to go with it. I guess in District 10 we call this nice. I grab my nice sandals and go back to Cassie.

"Finally! Let's go," Cassie says as we head out the door. Everyone we pass looks unhappy and sad or they are crying. Cassie has her head high and doesn't speak to me. Cassie and I are not particularly close siblings. We hardly ever talk to each other. The only words we say to each are phrases like "Pass the jam," or "When is dad getting home?"

When we finally arrive at the Justice Building, Cassie leaves my side to check in. She doesn't even seem scared. I head to a line to check in.

"Next," a woman peacekeeper tells me. I walk up to the booth and put my hand on the table. She takes out a tiny needle and pokes my index finger. I flinch. She scans the drop of blood and says "Next."

I walk to my age section and wait in my spot patiently. This is the worst part for me. Waiting. Waiting to see if you are to be put into the horror.

I look up to see Leporis Ivory walking out of the Justice Building. Leporis Ivory is always the one to reap the poor boy and girl from District 10. This year must be mint green because he is dressed in all mint green. His tux, shoes, and tie are all mint green. Leporis Ivory even has a tint of green in his skin. His hair is a normal style, but it is green.

"H-hem," Leporis Ivory silences the crowd and we all turn our attention to him. "First off," he starts to say "before this year's reaping we have a very special video from the Capitol," Leporis Ivory squeals as he fixes his tie. The video, that they show each year, starts to play and tells why The Hunger Games came to be. Blah. Blah. Blah. I watch the video with an "oh my gosh face" like I do every year. Leporis Ivory taps the microphone when the video finishes and smiles.

"It is time we pick a boy and girl from District 10 to be put into this year's arena. There is a new Head Gamemaker as well. Her name is Abigail Arrow. Ladies first," Leporis Ivory says as he slowly walks to one of the clear spheres that holds the girls names. He puts his hand in the sphere and moves it around and around. Leporis Ivory finally pulls out a piece of paper and smirks. He walks back to the microphone and says "Cassie Garze." No! Not Cassie! Not my little sister!

"Cassie!" I yell as I run out of my spot to the aisle that separates the boys and girls. "Cassie no!" I start screaming. Ray and Rose, who I can see out of the corner of my eye, are screaming for Cassie too. I don't know why I am screaming like a child because Cassie and I never care about each other. Peacekeepers start surrounding Cassie and they escort her up the stage of the Justice Building. Now peacekeepers start coming to me. They grab my arms and drag me back to my spot. They finally get me at my spot and have the nerve to full out slap me across the face. My cheek starts to burn. It stings. I can feel my cheek turning bright red. I mouth a few words as the peacekeepers go back to their assigned spots.

Cassie hasn't done anything with this commotion. She's just standing next to Leporis Ivory. She doesn't even look mad! There is one thing I can do to save her. One thing that will change my family. One thing that will change District 10. Volunteer for the boy who is reaped.

"Let's get back to the reaping. Shall we?" Leporis Ivory calls out to the crowd. He starts walking over to the opposite clear sphere that holds the boys names. He picks the boy a bit more quickly and then he walks back to the microphone. "Elijah Trummeck," he says calmly and slowly.

Elijah Trummeck, one of my worst enemies at school. Dark brown almost black hair, light brown skin, and a strong body. He is in the so what we call "popular group" at school. The only thing I can beat him at is climbing and running. Elijah Trummeck leaves his spot and walks down the aisle like he owns the place.

"No," I say calmly and loudly. "I volunteer! I volunteer," I yell as I run past Elijah in the dirt aisle. His face stares at me and I give him a slight nod. He walks back to his spot with a very confused face. I walk up the steps to the stage.

"How interesting. A volunteer from District 10. What might your name be?" Leporis Ivory asks me.

"A-Aaron," I stutter. "Aaron Garze," I say more confidently.

"Oh, so this young Cassie must be your sister?" He asks with his same smile. I give a brief nod. Cassie stares at me in disgust. Great, now she hates me even more. "Ladies and Gentlemen, this year's tributes from District 10, Aaron and Cassie Garze!" Leporis Ivory chants.

٭ ٭ ٭

I wait in the small room in the Justice Building. More waiting. Now I am going into the arena though. I need to help Cassie win. She's so mad at me now. Why would I want to help her? She's going to find her own allies. I wait and then I hear knocking at the door. Ray, Rose, Spike, and dad!

"Help Cassie," my dad says to me.

"I might want to survive too you know," I say back.

"Aaron, try to win. Ok?" Ray asks me.

"Of course I will try, but dad obviously wants Cassie to win," I blurt out.

"I want you both to win," my dad says.

"Well that's not how it works now, is it?" I yell to him right when a peacekeeper comes in to take them out.

"Bye guys," I tell them as they leave. I wait for the next knocking and in comes Elijah Trummeck.

"What are you doing here? You should be happy I volunteered for you," I yell at him.

"I am here to tell you thanks and good luck," he says back to me.

"Ok?" I say slowly.

"Thanks and good luck," he says. I nod a thank you and Elijah leaves. Time to go to the Capitol.

Leporis Ivory comes in and takes me to the back of the Justice Building. He has Cassie with him. We get in an automobile and drive to a train platform. Everyone is waving us goodbyes and then we get into the train and set off to the Capitol. Am I ever going to see my family again?


End file.
